Tractor



AVAILABLE COPY p 1941. D. B. BAKER ET AL 2,256,822 7 TRACTOR Filed. Feb. 15, 1959 5 Sheets-Shee 1 I Sept. 23,1941; n. B. BAKER Em "2,256,822

TRACTOR Filed Feb. 15,1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 23,1941. D. B. BAKER ET AL 7 2,256,822

' TRACTOR Filed Feb. 15; 1939 "s Sheets-Sheet :5

g v o i? *3 g g .3 fm/mzivm j g Q ZZBBUM v Q QR, ZIIOB' Patented Sept. 23, 1941 warren STATES raTe TRACTOR David B. Baker, Riverside, Clifford R. Rogers, Oak Park, and William 0. Bechman, Chicago, 111., assignors to International Harvester Company, a corporation of New Jersey Application February 15, 1939, Serial No. 256,404

Claims.

This invention relates to a crawler tractor and more particularly to an improved operating mechanism for the steering clutch units.

The invention contemplates the provision of actuating means for usein the final drive mechanism of the tractor, which means are capable of increased eificiency in disengaging the driving anddriven parts of the respective clutch units. The means are particularly adapted to be associated respectively with a pair of steering clutch units which are located in compartments provided in the tractor body. In a particular type of construction, the steering clutch units are removable from the body and heretofore considerable di fiiculty has been experienced in providing suitable clutch actuating means that would permit easy and ready removal of the units without appreciably disassembling certain parts thereof, as necessitated by the actuating connections between the clutch and clutch actuating means. At the same time it is important to provide actuating means which permit increased leverage for disengaging the steering clutches. This feature is especially important in the larger type of tractors wherein ordinary actuating means are inadequate parts of the driving mechanism. a

The principal object of the present invention, then, is to provide improved clutch actuating means for the steering clutch units in the final drive mechanism or assembly of a crawler type tractor.

An important object is to provide such means in a manner permitting ready installation and removal thereof in conjunction with the mounting of the steering clutch units.

Another object is to provide clutch actuating mechanism having cooperable cam means serving to spread the clutch parts axially for disengagement thereof.

Another object is to provide means including a rockable member for the purpose of transmitting longitudinal movement of a control means into'axial movement of a clutch part for disengaging the steering clutch.

And, another object is to provide improved cam and roller means for effecting axial movement of the clutch actuating parts for spreading the same axially to disengage the clutch parts.

And, still another object is to provide clutch actuating means that may be readily installed in existing assemblies without material alterations in either.

These and other desirable objects are achieved in one preferred form of the invention in which the improved clutch actuating means are installed in the rear body part of a crawler tractor in which said body part is provided with a wall carrying a shaft assembly. A pair of steering clutch units is carried by the shaft assembly respectively at opposite sides of the wall and each comprises a driving and a driven part. The improved actuating means for each clutch comprises a member rigidly carried by one side of the wall and having cam means in the form of rollers thereon. The means further includes a coaxial member disposed between thefirstfmember and the clutch and mounted for movement axially and angularly with respect to the first member. A portion of the second member engages a clutch part and includes cam means cooperable with the cam means on the first member whereby angular movement of the second member spreads the members axially for disengaging the clutch parts.

A further understanding of the objects and de- 1 sirable features of the invention may be had from because of the increased sizes of the component the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying sheets of drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the rear portionof a crawler tractor with upper cover portions thereof removed to show generally the compartments in the body;

Figure 2 is an enlarged transverse sectional View taken substantially along the line 2-2 of Figure 1, showing the clutch and the improved actuating means in detail; and,

Figures 3 and 4 are separate detail views of the members comprising the improved actuating means. g

The crawler tractor chosen for purposes of illustration comprises a main frame including a rear body part lo, the forward portion of the tractor being omitted from the drawings. This rear body part is provided with a pair of transversely alined outer compartments I2 open at their tops as at It, and a middleor intermediate compartment l6, open at its top as at 18. housing or compartment part 20 is located 'just forwardly of the middle compartment l6 and contains transmission gearing, not shown, from which extends a driving shaft 22 having a pinion Z4 rigidly carried thereon. The pini0n'24 drives a bevel gear 26 carried on a shaft part 28 forming part of the coaxial shaft assembly included as a part of the final drive mechanism presently to be described. The compartment I6 is delineated at its sides by a pair of transversely spaced vertical walls 30 provided with transversely alined openings 32. A bearing carrying member 34 is fitted in each opening 32 and carries a ball-bearing 36, said bearings 36 journaling the shaft 28 respectively at opposite ends in the Walls 30.

The shaft part '28 is preferably formed as a hollow sleeve part having its opposite ends formed with internally splined portions 38. coupling or connecting members are each externally splined at one end, and one such member is fitted into a respective splined end 38 of the shaft part 28, the members then extending coax- A pair of ially from opposite ends, respectively, of the part 28. The coupling member is provided with an annular flange secured by bolts M to the end of the shaft part 28 substantially at the respective wall 39. The purpose of this type of connection will be explained in detail in conjunction with the description of the removal of certain parts of the final drive assembly from the compartments I2.

Each coupling member 49 is internally splined as at 42 and receives the splined inner end of a second driving shaft part 44. It will be understood that both sides of the driving mechanism shaft assembly are the same and hereafter the description will pertain only to one side, having particular reference to Figure 2. The shaft 44 extends axially substantially across the compartment I2 and is splined at its outer end to the hub of a driving part 46 of a steering clutch unit 48. The steering clutch unit is of the multiple disk type and includesa related driven element 59 provided with a flat radial wall portion 52 which is secured by bolts 54 to a disk 58 comprising an integral part of a stub shaft 58. The stub shaft is disposed coaxially with respect to the shaft parts 28, 49 and 44 and comprises part of the shaft assembly of the final drive mechanism. This shaft 58 has a pinion gear 69 splined thereon, which pinion drives'a bull gear 62 which in turn is connected in driving relation with a drive sprocket 64. The sprockets 64 serve to drive the track chains, not shown, in the usual manner. The body part I9 carries at each side thereof a gear housing 86 which encloses the gears 69 and 62, and which carries a pair of alined bearings 98 for supporting the stub shaft 58 at opposite sides of the pinion gear 69.

The hub of the steering clutch driving part 46, which is connected to the splined outer end of the shaft 44, is formed as a hollow drum-like part I9, which contains a comparatively strong coil spring I2. One end of the coil spring. 12 abuts a radial face of the drum portion I9 and the other end abuts a radial face I4 of a portion of the driving clutch part 46 encircling the drum portion I9. The pressure of the spring I2 keeps the clutch parts 46 and 59 normally in engagement through the medium of a plurality of clutch disks, which construction and operation are more or less conventional. The radial wall portion 52 ofthe clutch driven part 59 is formed with a cylindrical pocket which carries a pilot bearing I6 for journaling an outer reduced end portion I8 of the driving shaft part 44. The shaft assembly is thus adequately supported throughout its tranverse extent across the rear body part through the medium of the bearings 39, 68 and I6.

The improved clutch actuating means consists of'a pair of members 89 and '82, relatively axially and angularly movable and located between the wall 39 and the clutch unit 48. The member 89 is provided with an annular flange'84 which is rigidly secured by bolts 86 to the wall 39, a portion of the flange serving toretain the bearing 36. The member is further provided with a sleeve portion 88 integrall formed with the flange 84 through the medium of a radial wall portion 99 and extending from the wall 39 toward the clutch unit 48, telescopically surrounding the shaft and telescopically arranged with respect to the clutch. The radial wall portion 89 of the member is axially spaced outwardly from the wall 39 and serves substantially to enclose the circle of bolts 4I connecting the coupling member 49 to the end of the shaft part 28', said portion, of course, further enclosing the bearing 36. The wall portion 99 is provided with an internal annular recess which carries an appropriate oil seal 92 which serves to aid in preventing the escape of lubricant from the compartment I6 into the clutch or outer compartment I4.

Each sleeve is provided at its periphery with angularly spaced bosses or supporting portions 94, each of which carries one end of a spindle 96. The flange portion 94 of the member 89 is provided with a plurality of lugs or supporting portions 98 respectively in radial alinement with the supporting portions 94, each portion 98 servingv to support the other end of a respective spindle 96. The arrangement and relation between the supporting portions 94 and 98 provide for the disposition of the spindlesrwith their axes respectively on radii of the flange, or in other words or radii extending through the axis of the shaft assembly. The axis of each spindle 96 is further inclined at a slight degree toward the flange 84 and each spindle carried a tapered roller I99. The provision of the inclined axes and the tapered rollers provides desirable clearance for a preferred form of the member 82 which will be p es y scribed.

The member 82, as best shown in Figure 3,is substantially circular and is provided with a radially extending arm I92 to which control linkage, not shown, may be connected. The member 82 is journaled or angularly movably carried on the sleeve 88 of the member 89 and at its face toward the clutch 48 is provided with a collar or sleeve portion I94 on which is carried a throwout bearing I96. The throw-out bearing is abutted at one side by an annular radial face of the member 82 and at its other side by the radial wall portion 14 of the clutch driving part 46. The member 82 is thus associated with the clutch driven part through the medium of the throwout bearing I96 which encircles the shaft 44, the sleeve 88 and the collar I94. The member 82 is provided at its inner face with cam means cooperable with the cam means provided by the rollers I99 on the member 80. The cam means on the member 82 is in the form of a plurality of arcuate portions I98. Each arcuate portion begins at a low point II9, substantially on the inner radial face of the member 82, and extends angularly and substantially axially toward a high point H2 and thence angularly and axially toward a low point disposed substantially in the plane of the preceding low point. The cam means on the member 82 consists of three arcuate portions or faces I98 having three low points III) and three high points II2, all of which correspond to the three rollers I99 on the member 89. As previously mentioned, the arm I92 provided on the member 82 is connected to control linkage, not shown, for rocking the member about the sleeve 88 of the member 89. This rocking or angular movement of the member 82 with respect to the member 89 engages the respective cam means of the members, thus causing the members to be spread axially, which results in axial movement of the throw-out bearing I96, which in turn compresses the spring I2 and disengages the clutch parts 46 and 59.

The arm I92 of the member 82 is provided with an ear or lug I I4 to which one end of a coil spring I I6 is attached, the other end of the spring being attached to a clip II8 secured by one of the bolts 86 to the flange 84 of the member 89. When the member 82 is moved angularly with respect to the member 89, the spring II6 serves to aid in returning the member to its normal position and operates in conjunction with the force imparted by the return of the spring 12 when the clutch parts 48 and 50 are engaged.

The member 82 is further provided with a radial V bore I20 which serves to admit lubricant to the outer cylindrical surface of the sleeve 88.

The particular type of clutch mounting and shaft assembly illustrated in the drawingsand described in connection with the improved clutch actuating means is similar to that forming the subject-matter of applicants copending application, Serial No. 196,615,. filed March 18, 1938. The improved actuating means herein disclosed is particularly adapted for use in conjunction with such a construction and has been provided in a manner enabling it to be removed together with its related steering clutch as a unit from its clutch compartment I6. Briefly, this removal of a steering clutch and a related actuating means is achieved in the following manner: After the cover, which appears generally in Figure 2, is removed, thus opening the compartments [2, whatever control linkage is utilized in con- Junction with the arm 32 on the member 82 is disconnected therefrom. Next, the coil spring H6 is disconnected and the bolts 85, securing the flange 84 of the member 89 to the wall 30, are removed. The members 88 and 82 are then moved axially toward the clutch 48, it being necessary in some cases to compress the spring 12. When the member 80 is moved sufliciently axially away from the wall 39', suiiicient'space is presented between the wall and the flange 84 to permit access to the bolts M securing the flange of the coupling member All to the end of the shaft part 28. These bolts are then removed and the coupling member All may be telescoped on the shaft 44 toward the steering clutch, the parts 89 and 82 being also telescopically arranged, and the member Bil being telescopic with respect to the clutch 48 since the sleeve 88 of the member is adapted to move axially through the opening formed in the radial wall portion M of the clutch driven part 55!. All operations at this side of the clutch are effected solely through the open top H! of the compartment l2 and these operations are facilitated by the telescopic arrangement of the clutch operating means and the clutch parts. The operation necessary to remove'the other side of the clutch from the disk 56 on the stub shaft 58 is also performed solely through the open top of the compartment, this operation consisting in the removal of the bolts 54, access to which is provided by openings formed in the clutch member 50 in the vicinity of the bolts. The clutch and related actuating means including the shaft parts 40 and 42 may thus be removed as a u entirely through the top of the comp Assembly or installation of the af r d par s is accomplished merely y reversing the f said procedure The improved actuating means has been thus provided in a manner serving best to actuate the steering clutch and to provide adequate leverage through the medium of which the clutch may be easily and efficiently operated by the tractor operator. The actuating means are adapted for use with suitable control linkage which are in turn connected to control levers actuating means. for slipping or disengaging the clutch parts.

and other servicing operations have not been .materially interfered with.

Numerous advantages and features presentv in the preferred form of the invention illustrated may be similarly obtained in. other forms, and

it will be understood that various modifications and alterations may be made in this preferred form without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is: 1

1. In a'crawler tractor having a rear body part provided with a compartment formed by spaced inner and outer walls, a driving shaft carried in the inner wall and extending toward the outer wall, a steering clutch located in the compartment and having driving and driven parts, the former being carried on the shaft, the combination with the clutch of clutch throw-out mechanism therefor, said mechanism comprising a member rigidly carried by'the inner wall and including a sleeve surrounding the shaft, a roller carried by the member at its outer face, a throw-out bearing encircling the sleeve and abutting a clutch element, and an angularly movable member carried on the sleeve and associated with the bearing, said movable member being formed with an inner cam face engageable with the roller on the first member upon angular movement to spread the members axially' to disengage said clutch elements.

2, In a crawler tractor having a rear body part including a pair of outer, open-top compartments and a middle compartment, said middle compartment being separated from the outer V compartments by a pair of transversely spacedwalls, a shaftpart journaled in said walls within the middle compartment, a pair of steering clutch units located respectively in the outer compartments, and a pair of drive shafts associated. V respectively at their outer ends withathe steering clutches and removably and telesgpically connected at their inneer ends sptively to the first shaft part, th @mbfiiioh With the SWIQ wall of a respective outer compartment and the other member being operatively mounted within easy reach of the operator, as j is well known to those skilled in the art, through associated with a respective clutch, unit, said members including cooperable cam portions for spreading the members axially upon relative angular movement thereof for disengaging the respective clutch unit parts, said members being telescopic along the respective drive shaft for removal from the compartment of the respective clutch unit and its associated drive shaft and members through the aforesaid open top of the compartment.

3. In a crawler tractor having a body part formed with a compartment with a wall at one side, a shaft carried in the wall and extending into the compartment, and a steering clutch unit in the compartment including driving and driven partsjthe former being connected to the shaft, the combination with the clutch of a sleeve surrounding the shaft in the compartment and secured to the wall, a roller carried on an axis substantially an extended radius of the sleeve, nected to the first shaft substantially at the beara member carried on the sleeve for angular ing and extending at the other side thereof, and movement thereabout and having a cam face a steering clutch unit having a driving part conengageable with the roller, a throw-out bearing nected to the second shaft and a driven part, the journaled on the member and abutting the clutch 5 combination with the clutch of a member includdriven part, angular movement of the member ing a flanged portion rigidly secured to the wall engaging the cam face thereon with the roller over the bearing and substantially enclosing the to shift said member axially with respect to the bearing and the connection between the two sleeve for disengaging the clutch parts. shafts and a sleeve surrounding the second shaft 4. In a crawler tractor having a body part and extending toward the clutch, a second memprovided with a compartment including a wall, ber axially and angularly movably carried by the a shaft carried by the wall, and a steering clutch sleeve, a throw-out bearing encircling the sleeve in the compartment having driving and driven and engaging the clutch driven part and the parts, the former being connected to the shaft, second member, and cam means between the the combination with the clutch of clutch throwmembers for spreading said members axially out means for the clutch comprising a flanged upon angular movement of the second member sleeve secured rigidly to the wall with the sleeve to disengage the. clutch parts. extending coaxially about the shaft toward the 8. In a crawler tractor having a body part inclutch, a plurality of integral, angularly spaced eluding a wall, a shaft carried in the wall, and a lugs formed on the flange and extending in the 2 clutch unit connected to the shaft at one side direction of the sleeve, a plurality of rollers jourof the wall and comprising driving and driven naled respectively on axes passing through the parts, the combination with the clutch of a memsleeve and the lugs on the flange, and an anguber including an annular flange rigidly secured larly movable member carried on the sleeve and to the clutch side of the wall about the shaft and formed. with a plurality of cam portions respecan integral sleeve surrounding the shaft, a plutively cooperable with the aforesaid rollers, a rality of rollers carried on the member on axes portion of said member engaging the clutch disposed respectively on radii of the flange, said driven part, whereby angular movement of the axes being further inclined toward the flange, member moves the member axially and disenand a second member carried by the sleeve begages the clutch parts. tween the clutch and flange for axial and angular 5. In a crawler tractor having a rear body movement with respect to the flange and sleeve, p a Wall in said body, a shaft carried in the said second member being associated with a wall and extendingat one side thereof, a second clutch ,part and including cam. means engageshaft removably and telescopically connected to able with the rollers on the flange. the first shaft substantially at the wall and eX- 5 9.- In a crawler tractor having a body part intending coaxially of the first shaft at the other cluding a Wall, a shaft carried in the wall, and a side of the wall, and a steering clutch having clutch unit connected to the shaft at one side driving d v n p s, t f r being nof the wall and comprising driving and driven nected to the second shaft, the combination with parts, the combination with the clutch of a memthe clutch of a flanged member secured to the ber including an annular flange rigidly secured Wall and including a Sleeve p ally Surto the clutch side of the Wall about the shaft rounding the second shaft, and a throw-out and an integral sleeve surrounding the shaft, e ber telescopically d angulally movably a plurality of spindles, each carried at one end carried on the sleeve and en g g the clutch by the sleeve and extending radially therefrom driven part, said member having cam means 00- and inclined toward the flange, a roller on each "obe ablfiwith the first member to Sp ead e spindle, and a second member carried by the members aXially p angular movement of the sleeve between the clutch and flange for axial second member for disengag g t e Clutch p and angular movement with respect to the flange 6. In a crawler tractor having a body Pa and sleeve, said second member being associated a wall included t e n, adgea ing in the W with a clutch part and including cam means a s af lellrnaled inlihe bearing d eXtending engageable with the rollers on the flange.

at one side thereof, asecon:d\shaft removably 10. In a crawler tractor having a body part i connected to t e fi sheffsubstantially at the eluding a wall, a shaft carried in the wall, and a bearing and extending at the other she thereof, clutch unit connected to the shaft at one side of and a steeri clutch unit havin aZLiyin art the wall and comprising driving and driven connected to the second s t d a driven P ,e parts, the combination with the clutch of a memthe combination with the clutch of amember i l i an annular flange rigidly Secured including a flanged portion rigidly secured to to the h Side of t n about t shaft and .the wall over the bearing a substantially enen integral ve surrounding the shaft, a pluclosing the connection between the two shafts 6o h carried t one end by t and a sleeve surrounding the second shaft and sleeve and at the t end by the flange, said extending toward the clutch, a second member spindles extending radiall 1 th sleeve in axially and angularly movably carried by the gularly spaced relation, a roller Y each spindle sleeve and associated with the clutch driven part, and a second member carried by the sl v9 and cam means between the members for spreadtween the clutch and flange for axial and ngw;\

ing said members axially upon angular movemovement with respect to the flange and sleeve, ment of the second member to disengage the said second member being associated with a clutch part5, clutch part and including cam means engageable 7. In a crawler tractor having a body part, with the rollers on the flange. a wall included therein, a bearing in the wall, a DAVID B BAKER shaft journaled in the bearing and extending at CLIF Rh ROGERS. one side thereof, a second shaft removably con- 1 WILLIAM O BECHMAN 

